FYI - the black screen of death!
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 789
Likes: 47
From: Eastern Massachusetts
2021 E450, 2020 C43, 2015 C300, 2007 C280
FYI - the black screen of death!
When I started my C300 this afternoon, my COMAND screen was completely black! It had been working normally when I stopped the car. I assumed that COMAND had stopped working completely. I remembered all the horror stories I have read in this forum about problems with COMAND, and I started to panic. But we mustn't show fear in front of the women! Keep calm and carry on! I always try to have a Plan B, so I quickly remembered what I have read in this forum about resetting COMAND by holding down the disc eject button. That didn't work either! I had no Plan C.
But as Yogi Berra supposedly said, "You can observe a lot just by watching." I noticed that the heads-up display was cycling through "navigation initializing." That meant COMAND was doing something, but the screen was still black. I asked myself, how is the screen turned off when COMAND is running (and I can then do the opposite and turn the screen back on)? Aha, I remembered the COMAND "ON" button on the right side of the center console! The driver's view of that button is blocked by the touchpad, and I had never used that switch. (However, I had cycled through every button, menu, and screen when I first got the car. "Chance favors the prepared mind!" I had also warned my wife that modern cars are far more complicated than she is used to and that computer glitches are to be expected. So she was prepared, and as I was hunting for the "ON" button, she was feeling around the edge of the screen, looking for some button that might help.)
My wife had rested her purse on the edge of the center console. The purse must have been depressing the COMAND "ON" button at the moment I started the car and pushed the "ON" button to the "off" position. Remember this, if your COMAND screen ever goes black when you are carrying a passnger. And also remember (in case your COMAND system really does crash) that holding down the disc eject button will often reboot your COMAND system. (I certainly would not know about that second trick, except for reading MBWorld.) I also recommend that you warn your wife about the complexity of your modern Mercedes.
But as Yogi Berra supposedly said, "You can observe a lot just by watching." I noticed that the heads-up display was cycling through "navigation initializing." That meant COMAND was doing something, but the screen was still black. I asked myself, how is the screen turned off when COMAND is running (and I can then do the opposite and turn the screen back on)? Aha, I remembered the COMAND "ON" button on the right side of the center console! The driver's view of that button is blocked by the touchpad, and I had never used that switch. (However, I had cycled through every button, menu, and screen when I first got the car. "Chance favors the prepared mind!" I had also warned my wife that modern cars are far more complicated than she is used to and that computer glitches are to be expected. So she was prepared, and as I was hunting for the "ON" button, she was feeling around the edge of the screen, looking for some button that might help.)
My wife had rested her purse on the edge of the center console. The purse must have been depressing the COMAND "ON" button at the moment I started the car and pushed the "ON" button to the "off" position. Remember this, if your COMAND screen ever goes black when you are carrying a passnger. And also remember (in case your COMAND system really does crash) that holding down the disc eject button will often reboot your COMAND system. (I certainly would not know about that second trick, except for reading MBWorld.) I also recommend that you warn your wife about the complexity of your modern Mercedes.
Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 206
Likes: 15
From: san francisco
c class
When I started my C300 this afternoon, my COMAND screen was completely black! It had been working normally when I stopped the car. I assumed that COMAND had stopped working completely. I remembered all the horror stories I have read in this forum about problems with COMAND, and I started to panic. But we mustn't show fear in front of the women! Keep calm and carry on! I always try to have a Plan B, so I quickly remembered what I have read in this forum about resetting COMAND by holding down the disc eject button. That didn't work either! I had no Plan C.
But as Yogi Berra supposedly said, "You can observe a lot just by watching." I noticed that the heads-up display was cycling through "navigation initializing." That meant COMAND was doing something, but the screen was still black. I asked myself, how is the screen turned off when COMAND is running (and I can then do the opposite and turn the screen back on)? Aha, I remembered the COMAND "ON" button on the right side of the center console! The driver's view of that button is blocked by the touchpad, and I had never used that switch. (However, I had cycled through every button, menu, and screen when I first got the car. "Chance favors the prepared mind!" I had also warned my wife that modern cars are far more complicated than she is used to and that computer glitches are to be expected. So she was prepared, and as I was hunting for the "ON" button, she was feeling around the edge of the screen, looking for some button that might help.)
My wife had rested her purse on the edge of the center console. The purse must have been depressing the COMAND "ON" button at the moment I started the car and pushed the "ON" button to the "off" position. Remember this, if your COMAND screen ever goes black when you are carrying a passnger. And also remember (in case your COMAND system really does crash) that holding down the disc eject button will often reboot your COMAND system. (I certainly would not know about that second trick, except for reading MBWorld.) I also recommend that you warn your wife about the complexity of your modern Mercedes.
But as Yogi Berra supposedly said, "You can observe a lot just by watching." I noticed that the heads-up display was cycling through "navigation initializing." That meant COMAND was doing something, but the screen was still black. I asked myself, how is the screen turned off when COMAND is running (and I can then do the opposite and turn the screen back on)? Aha, I remembered the COMAND "ON" button on the right side of the center console! The driver's view of that button is blocked by the touchpad, and I had never used that switch. (However, I had cycled through every button, menu, and screen when I first got the car. "Chance favors the prepared mind!" I had also warned my wife that modern cars are far more complicated than she is used to and that computer glitches are to be expected. So she was prepared, and as I was hunting for the "ON" button, she was feeling around the edge of the screen, looking for some button that might help.)
My wife had rested her purse on the edge of the center console. The purse must have been depressing the COMAND "ON" button at the moment I started the car and pushed the "ON" button to the "off" position. Remember this, if your COMAND screen ever goes black when you are carrying a passnger. And also remember (in case your COMAND system really does crash) that holding down the disc eject button will often reboot your COMAND system. (I certainly would not know about that second trick, except for reading MBWorld.) I also recommend that you warn your wife about the complexity of your modern Mercedes.
I'm so relieved there was a happy ending lol
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Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 248
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W214 AMG Line
At the risk of sounding equally stupid...
I got my car back after being washed and the COMMAND wouldn't turn on. Reset it using the eject button. Stopped the car, locked and unlocked it 3 times and still nothing.
Called my dealer. Suggested I bring it in.
For the first time since I had the car I decided to press the on/off button and viola.
Given none of us probably ever turn it on off, it's not that uncommon until you make that mistake once. Especially if someone else turned it off.
Curiously I inserted a CD, selected different functions and none of them prompted the screen to come on.
I got my car back after being washed and the COMMAND wouldn't turn on. Reset it using the eject button. Stopped the car, locked and unlocked it 3 times and still nothing.
Called my dealer. Suggested I bring it in.
For the first time since I had the car I decided to press the on/off button and viola.
Given none of us probably ever turn it on off, it's not that uncommon until you make that mistake once. Especially if someone else turned it off.
Curiously I inserted a CD, selected different functions and none of them prompted the screen to come on.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 789
Likes: 47
From: Eastern Massachusetts
2021 E450, 2020 C43, 2015 C300, 2007 C280
I thought you were going to plug in our new electric car!
